Hope
by BubbleBoots
Summary: For as long as any cat can remember, she-cats were only used for kits. But times are changing and a new leader is rising in the form of Hopekit: a she-cat.
1. Allegiances and Summary

Allegiances

ClawClan

Leader: TalonStar- Big,strong, brown tabby tom with amber eyes.

Deputy: RockFur- Broad shouldered grey tabby tom.

Medicine Cat: medicine cat duties are carried out by the she-cats

Warriors ( toms only):

NightStorm- Black tom. Has the most kits in the clan. Leaders son

DarkShadow- Black tom with white tipped brother.

FrostHeart- White tom. Very mean to she-cats.

SilverTail- Silver tabby tom. Broad shouldered like his father RockFur.

StoneFoot- grey tom. Rockfurs son.

BlackPelt- Black tom with green eyes. NightStorms son.

SpottedClaw- grey with dark grey spots. NightStorms son.

MudFace- brown tom. very violent with she-cats. Leaders son.

ThistleStripe- grey Tom. Rockfurs kit.

ShadowFang- Black tom. NightStorms son.

MistFall- grey tabby. Nightstorms sons.

Warrior apprentices:

Vinepaw- brown tom. DarkShadows son.

Wasppaw- Brown like his father mudface.

Icepaw- White tom. Very mean and blood thirsty. FrostHearts son.

Greypaw- grey tabby Tom. frosthearts son.

Kit bringers :

DuskFlower- Brown she-cat. Very old. DappledLeaf and Talon Stars mother.

StreamSplash- silver she-cat. Old. FrostHeart and Rockfurs mother.

WaterFur- silver she-cat. Streamfurs sister and silvertail and stonefoots mother.

DawnShadow- Beautiful Black she-cat. Night Storm , DarkShadow , MudFaces, Hollykit and Spiderkits mother

DappledLeaf- dappled she-cat. BlackPelt and Spotted Claws mother.

StoneFeather - grey tabby she-cat. Rockfurs sister. Mother of Hopekit and Shade kit.

GreyBark- small grey she-cat. Rockfurs daughter. Mother of ThistleStripe, ShadowFang, Pebblepaw and Cloudpaw.

Kits:

Hollykit- Black she-cat. Kit of DawnShadow and BlackPelt.

Spiderkit- Black tom with a white under belly. Hollykits brother.

Hopekit- Beautiful silver she-cat. Kit of stonefeather and silvertail.

Shadekit- grey tabby tom. Hopekits brother.

Kit Bringer apprentices:

Mousepaw- brown tabby she-cat. Mudfaces kit.

Pebblepaw- grey classic tabby (swirls) she-cat. Nightstorms kit.

Cloudpaw- light grey she-cat. Pebblepaws sister.

Elders ( toms only)-

Eagletalon- spotted handsome tom. Talonstar and dappledleafs father.

Pondfur- Silver tom. Father of Streamsplash and Waterfur.

Dustcloud- greyish brownish tom. Father of Rockfur and StoneFeather.

For as long as any cat can remember, she-cat's have always been inferior to toms. They are not allowed to be warriors and their only job is to make kits. They are discriminated and ignored by toms. Even as kits, unlike tom kits who can play, she-kits are put to work to carry fresh-kill to the toms and groom them.

When they're apprenticed, it doesn't really get any better. They don't learn how to hunt or fight, they learn how to raise kits, how to have good kits,how obey the toms and last but not least, they must train to be medicine cats. Also, they have to help the other she-cat's or kit bringers as the toms call them in building dens and cleaning nests.

Kit bringers are expected to have lots of kits. It doesn't matter who's kits they are, just as long as they're healthy. As well as that, they live in a different part of the camp, away from the toms.


	2. Chapter 1 Learning

I Woke up. I was only a quarter moon old and I had just opened my eyes.

I already knew lots after the things my mother told me. My mother is called StoneFeather and she's the best. I don't look like her at all, I look like my Dad: SilverTail. However, SilverTail will never act like a Dad. Toms just use us she- cats to make kits.

Tired, I stretched my paws and rolled over to face my mother. Her scent was so sweet and gentle I could breathe it in forever...

"Hey kit! Get up!" A toms voice startled me. I lay there for a moment. Why did I have to get up now? Suddenly,a paw jabbed me in the back.

" I said get up!" The anger in the voice was clear as day but I still didn't move. I felt my mother move beside me. Why was she getting up? I lifted my head up to see her grey tabby pelt walking towards a big black tom. I'd heard of him. He was NightStorm and he had the most kits in the clan.

The tom narrowed his eyes at StoneFeather.

"Tell your kit to get up and do her duties," he spat. My mother scowled at him.

"Hopekit? Remember your duties," She called back to me. Listening to my mother, I scrambled to my paws and looked NightStorm in the eye.

"The elders are hungry. Bring them fresh-kill." He said looking down at me.

"Uhhhh," I stuttered. I was about to say why should I do it but I remembered they'd hurt me if I didn't." Yes NightStorm."

I padded out of the she-cat camp and into the tom camp through the fern tunnel. As soon as I entered, I felt the hot eyes of toms burn my pelt. Murmurs filled the air.

" New meat"

"She'll make good kits"

"She's pretty good"

"Hey Mistfall! Why don't you make her have your kits?"

I couldn't stand to hear these toms speak about me like that. I was about to run to the fresh-kill pile when a brown apprentice stepped in front of me.

" Hey! Get out my way!" I mewed in annoyance. The tom spat at me.

"How dare you speak to me like that! I am a tom!" He hissed. I backed away from his jaws."Your going to pay for speaking to me like that!"

Oh no! What were they going to do to me! I shrank down nervously.

" I'm sorry" I said quietly. The tom gave me an evil look and stormed off. I quickly grabbed a sparrow in my jaws and raced towards the elders den. Inside, I found three mean looking toms. They were telling stories.

"...and the stupid she-cat died in kitting! I was so mad I killed her weak little kits!" Said the silver cat in laughter.

"She deserved it, she was so weak! I remember once when I raped her, she collapsed and almost died!" Snorted the brownish tom. The spotted cat sat there snorting with laughter. What they were saying was so mean and sick. I quickly dropped the prey and was about to leave when teeth grabbed my scruff and I was pulled to the elders.

"Well hello...looks like we a have a new toy" The silver tom sneered as I dangled from the jaws of the spotted cat. The silver cat reached over to me a licked my face. I shrank back at his touch.

"I'm Pondfur" said the silver tom."The cat holding you is Eagletalon and the other tom is Dustcloud. You are?"

"Hopekit" I mewed nervously. What we're they going to do to me?I was terrified.

Eagletalon put me down on the floor by his paws. I was shaking in fear. Pondfur learned over me.

"You've got a lot to learn..."


	3. Chapter 2 Punishments

I felt sick. What they had done to me was evil and twisted. I stumbled out of the elders den feeling ashamed and used. Thing is, as soon as I stepped out the murmurs started again...

"Haha!"

"I think pondfur liked her..."

"Why do the elders always get to mate the kits?"

"Lucky elders"

Was what happened normal? I was so confused. I ran as fast as I could towards the safety of the fern tunnel. I skidded to a halt when I entered the camp. What was happening here? Shocked, I gazed around my camp. NightStorm had mounted StoneFeather and was mating her. No. Why? I didn't like NightStorm and I didn't want StoneFeather to have his kits. This was terrible.

I sprung forward and slammed myself against NightStorm, pushing him of my mother. He wasn't going to mate with her. NightStorm scrambled to his feet and hissed at me.

"What do you think you are doing?!" He hissed angrily. I suddenly realized what I'd done. I was going to be in so much trouble. My mother looked pleadingly at NightStorm.

"Please NightStorm. She's just a kit." She said as I snuggled against her fur. I felt her lick the top of my head. NightStorm scowled at us.

"You should've told her more about life here. Why can't she settle in when Shade kit can?"

Shadekits my brother but we don't really talk. We used to when we were little but he's a tom and i'll always be second best. I miss the old days...

NightStorm had gone and I sat in the nursery. I knew what I'd done was wrong but it felt right. I wanted she-cats and toms to be equal.

The next day, TalonStar called a clan meeting. I knew what it was for: my punishment.

I padded out with my mother into the toms camp and looked up at the highrock. TalonStar was sat proudly on the very tip of the highrock, looking down at us. I swear I saw him smirk at me as we waited for it to start. I kept wiggling because l was so nervous. Please don't let this punishment be that bad.

"Silence!" Called TalonStar, his deputy at his side. The gregarious toms beside us ceased to speak and gazed up at TalonStar."Now, we all know about a certain kit, who seems to think that she can do what she wants." I twitched nervously." Well she can't!"

I felt his amber eyes fry my silver fur.

"She needs to be punished." He said sneering down at me. The toms erupted in speech , shouting punishments and hurtful comments.

"Death to the kit!"

"Rape her TalonStar!"

"Cut her tail off!"

"She's worthless, kill her!"

I couldn't bare them. I wanted to run but my mother calmed me with a soothing lick on my head. It reminded me that I wasn't hated my everyone. I thought for a moment, if I look weak then they'll just keep taunting me. I sat up and puffed out my chest. I didn't care anymore. They could hurt me but I'd just come back fighting.

All these thoughts were racing through my mind and TalonStar read out my punishment.

"Wasppaw, as she wronged you, I give you permission to have her first little of kits." I saw Wasppaw bow his head to TalonStar and smile menacingly at me. I swallowed, I wasn't going to let this hurt me.

I was about scamper back to the nursery, when TalonStar started speaking.

"However, I don't think this is enough. Hopekit will also have NightStorms kits as she wronged him too."

No! I hated him so much! I felt anger building up inside me, I wanted to scream. NightStorm was so much older than me; it was disgusting! But, I would be strong, for all the she-cat's. I would teach my kits to be kind and stand up for themselves. I would be the best mother there has ever been in the history of the clan.


	4. Chapter 3 Plans

5 moons later...

I was exhausted. Rockfur had told me repair and clean the dens. It was hard work, especially with the toms taunting me. However, there was one tom that didn't do that. His name was MistFall and whenever I past him, he wouldn't shout at me he'd just stare. His stare wasn't angry or aggressive, it was gentle and soothing...

I was day-dreaming about what it would be like to have a mate; a proper mate that loved you and cared for you. But, my day-dreams were interrupted by two squealing kits. Hollykit and Spiderkit had been born a quarter moon ago and they were and absolute laugh. They were extremely close and always played together. If only hollykit knew that her duties would start soon...

Hollykit and Spiderkit weren't the only new thing to happen over the past moons. Vinepaw and Wasppaw were now warriors; VineTail and WaspWing. We also had a new kit bringer, Mousepaw was now MouseNose.

I lifted my head up and looked over to the two kits. They were play fighting. Carefully, I made my way over to them. I was very big compared to them. They looked up at me as I loomed over them.

" Hopekit! Play with us!" Hollykit mewed. I wanted to play so badly but my duties had to come first.

"I'm sorry. I can't play, I have to do my duties." I explained to them.

"What are duties?" Hollykit asked. I began to walk out.

"They're something all she-cats have to do." I mewed as I reached the exit of the nursery.

"Why can't I do them?" Spiderkit questioned. I stopped and turned back to face the kits.

"Because only she-cats do them. And anyway,it's the rules."

"Well I don't like the rules. They're stupid. I will always help my sister." Yes! That was the attitude I was looking for. Why couldn't more cats think like that? Then we could start a revolution for she-cats.

"Well why dont we all start a revolution so she-cats can be treated equally?" I asked the young kits.

"Ye-" Spiderkit was interrupted by DawnShadow , their mother. She looked angry and upset.

"Hopekit! A revolution just wouldn't work, we'd get ourselves killed!" DawnShadow mewed."However, if we knew how to fight and hunt, then maybe we could win..."

We had been discussing plans for a while and we knew what to do. We would wait until Spiderkit knew some battle moves, then he would teach us them. And after a while we would challenge the toms and win. Hopefully.

A few days later, it was mine and Shadekits apprentice ceremony. Together, we padded in front of the highrock. Yet again, felt TalonStars gaze roast my silver fur.

"Shadekit has reached his sixth moon, which means he is ready to be apprenticed. You will now be known as Shadepaw. Shadepaw, your mentor will be Rockfur." TalonStar looked looked down at my brother. I loved my brother, but he hated me because I was a she-cat.

"Shadepaw also has a sister. Hopekit you will now be known as Hopepaw." I remembered that she- cats don't get mentors as we are taught by all she-cats. I watched as my brother was surrounded by toms congratulating him while I padded alone to my new den.

Pebbledpaw and Cloudpaw were there, already sleeping. I lay down in one of the empty nests and drifted off sleep...


	5. Chapter 4 Confessions

I was so tired: it had been another restless day of work caring for the toms. I had learned to ignore their sick chants and just do my duties. However, I just couldn't take my eyes of MistFall, the only nice tom. I didn't understand why he was nice to me. That day, he'd actually given me his prey and told me to feed the she-cats. This may sound normal but here, that's very rare.

I'd asked Pebblepaw and Cloudpaw if they knew why but they just said he wanted my kits. I didn't believe them. I knew there was something more hidden in his eyes.

I trudged to my nest and began to drift off...

"Hopepaw! Duties now!" I jerked awake. It was Rockfur and Shadepaw. I glanced up at Shadepaw , who was almost fully grown, but he looked away awkwardly. Why was he like this?! He was my brother for Starclans sake! Reluctantly, I heaved myself out of my den to do my duties. I could here Rockfur talking to Shadepaw behind me.

"Shadepaw, you must learn to treat all she-cats like I do. They are just worthless kit bringers."

"Yes Rockfur I will."

"Good."

I scampered quickly and quietly through the tom camp and out through the exit. Pebblepaw and Cloudpaw were waiting for me.

"There you are! We thought you were dead or something!" Squealed Pebblepaw. I let out a mew of laughter .

"Well I'm here now right?" I said, a hint of amusement in my meow. We trekked through the dense undergrowth to our herb garden.

To my surprise, MistFall was there. He looked nervous.

"Hey we're apprentices! You can't mate with us !" Shouted Cloudpaw. MistFall seemed to flinch at the comment.

"I don't want to rape you..." He turned his nervous gaze to me. "I know it has probably been many season's since a tom has said this but , I love you. I love you Hopepaw."

I was shocked. My suspicions had been right all along! He loved me! This was one of the happiest moments of my life, realizing I was loved by someone other than a she-cat.

"Wow..." whispered Pebblepaw. We stared at us in awe. Cloudpaw took a step forward.

"Hopepaw don't listen to him he just wants your kits,"

I saw MistFall walk to me. He looked at me with loving eyes.

"From the moment I set eyes on you, I fell in love. You're the most beautiful cat I've ever met and I promise to help you get equal rights for she-cats." I smiled at him. He was so sweet and I was so glad he would help us get equal rights. I leaned over to him and rubbed my muzzle against his flank.

"Good." I purred softly. Pebblepaw and Cloudpaw sat watching us as if they'd seen mice fly. It was as quite funny actually.

* * *

><p>A quarter moon later...<p>

* * *

><p>MistFall and I were officially mates but Cloudpaw and Pebblepaw were the only other cats that know about it. I hated how we had to keep our love a secret.<p>

Suddenly, I felt something moving in my stomach. Starclan no...I'm just an apprentice...


	6. Chapter 5 Lies

I had to use herbs to hide my growing belly and I looked like a completely normal apprentice although I was expecting kits. However, I knew I couldn't keep the kits a secret for much longer.

Day-dreaming, I padded out into the forest to clear my head. Then, I sat at the edge of the herb garden.

"It's ok little ones, you won't be a secret for much longer..." I whispered to my unborn kits. I loved them but I knew it would be hard to past them off as someone else's...

I heard a rustle behind me. Oh no! Did someone hear me? I looked around hoping to see MistFall but, it wasn't. Waspwing stood at the edge of the clearing, his eyes full of fury and lust.

"I can't wait any longer Hopepaw..." He snarled. " Give me kits!"

3 moons later...

I lay in the nursery, my muscles contracting as the kits came. It hurt so much. I thought I was going to die. But, I had promised myself that I must live for all the she-cat's and for my kits. StoneFeather, Pebblefur and Cloudmist were by my side with herbs and ointments which seemed to calm me down. Mousenose was at the other side of the nursery trying to handle her and Vinetails kits: Barkkit and Oakkit who were both brown tabby toms.

I felt the first kit pop out. StoneFeather moved it over to my belly and I licked it. The kit was a she-cat. Her grey tabby markings looked like feathers, like MistFall. I smiled; she was beautiful.

"I think I'll call her Featherkit," I meowed, looking at my perfect kit.

Suddenly, I felt my stomach jerk and contract as the next kit squeezed out. This kit was very lively and was wriggling and mewing for the whole clan. It was another she-cat and her fur was a silver-grey colour like mist.

"Mistykit. That's her name." I said as I moved her to my belly. Mistykit let out a small mew as I tickled her scruff with my teeth. I could tell she was going to be a fighter.

I thought she was the last kit but, as I tried to get up, my muscles cramped and the third kit made its way into the world. The kits pelt was so dark grey it was almost black. It's fur colour reminded me of dusk so, I named the tom Duskkit.

"Oh Hopepaw, you have three beautiful kits." Pebblefur said sweetly. "I'll get Waspwing." However, Pebblefur knew they weren't his kits.

Waspwing walked into the nursery and looked down at my kits. He snarled.

"One tom! You're useless but, those she-cats sure are pretty..." Waspwing snapped.

"Hey! Just back off her! Ok? " It was Mousenose shouting at Waspwing, her brother. " Us she cats work are paws off looking after you toms and we get no respect. You should appreciate us a lot!."

Mousenose stormed out of the nursery with one last glance at Waspwing.

"What is there to appreciate? You just make kits!" Waspwing muttered angrily. Cloudmist took a step forward.

"Look. Without she-cats you'd all be dead. We make kits and we bring life to the clan. Without us there is no clan." She shouted at him. Waspwing muttered something that I couldn't hear and walked out. As soon as he'd left, MistFall came in. His eyes glowed with love as he gazed at our kits.

"Oh Hopepaw, our kits are beautiful." MistFall murmured softly. StoneFeather looked somewhat shocked.

"Wait! You're mates?!"

"Umm yes mother and we love each other very much." I said rubbing my muzzle against his flanks. I felt Mousenose's fur rub against mine as she entered the nursery.

"I suppose you and MistFall are like me and Vinetail; hopelessly in love but like in clawclan so you can never be..." Mousenose said as she walked over to BarkKit and OakKit. I was genuinely shocked at what she said. We weren't the only mates in ClawClan. I was incredibly happy. Maybe there actually was some hope.


	7. Chapter 6 Stunts

1 moon later...

The moon glistened down on me and my three young kits as I slipped out of the nursery. I left Mistykit, Featherkit and Duskkit in the nursery with Mousenose as it was my turn to go out and train. Silently, I sneaked out past the toms and out of the camp. I kept searching for scents in case anyone was following me. Luckily, no one was.

As I grew closer to the training hollow, I began to hear cats talking. Tree's blew in the wind and the rustling leaves stopped me from hearing which cats they were. I trod carefully around sticks and leaves so no one could hear as I was still quite close to camp. Silently , I leaped over a log and stumbled into the training hollow. Vinetail, MistFall, Cloudmist , Pebblefur and DawnShadow were there. I hadn't realized how old DawnShadow looked. She seemed frail and her black fur was turning brown with age. I knew she'd been giving all her fresh-kill to Hollykit and Spiderkit as toms seemed to be eating lots recently but MistFall and Vinetail had been sneaking us extra prey so I was shocked at how her bones poked out from her pelt. She wasn't even the oldest she-cat in the clan. Nervously, I clambered up on the rotten tree stump. I threw away my distractions and focused on what I was about to say.

"Cats, I believe it is time for us to take control and overthrow the sexism in the clan. I can no longer stand this as the sick behaviour from the toms , not you guys or Spiderkit, is mousebrained. We must take action now," Their ears turned to me as they listened and I saw their eyes glisten with hope and fear. They respected me but, were scared to fight against the toms. However, MistFall looked at me with utter confidence in my ideas and it gave me strength. I knew we could defeat them if we wanted it. MistFall step forward an a gazed up at me.

" What will we do Hopepaw?"

I thought for a while. A battle would be a birdbrained idea and would get us all killed as we barely have any training in fighting at all. Suddenly, an idea flashed in my mind. We would catch prey and show the toms that we are more than kit makers.

"We will go out of camp tomorrow and we will catch all the prey we can. Then, we will return to camp and let the toms see we can hunt for yourself and we are more than kit makers." Surprisingly, the cats agreed with my idea and we began practising hunting. I saw a mouse nibbling a grain of wheat under a bramble thicket. I dropped silently into a hunting crouch and stepped towards the unsuspecting prey. As if I was invisible, I killed the mouse in one swift motion. Unfortunately, I felt the presence of a cat behind me.

Eyes wide, I turned to face the cat only to find DawnShadow there. I breathed a sigh of relief. She padded over to me, a small sparrow in her jaws. Carefully, as if it was a new born kit, she placed the sparrow by my mouse.

"It's your warrior ceremony tomorrow, along with Hollykit and Spiderkits apprentice ceremony. " She mewed staring into the distance. I knew what she was thinking. She was wishing that when her kits become warriors that things would be different and that HollyKit wouldn't be put through all that DawnShadow been put though. However, I knew it would never happen if we didn't retaliate now. DawnShadow let out a sharp, dry cough. The cough shuddered through her body, leaving her unable to breathe.

" DawnShadow! " I leapt forward and let her rest on me; her breathing was raspy and shallow. " Let's get you back to camp."

We trudged through the midnight forest as the moon shine down through the leaves of the trees. DawnShadow was getting her breath back, but she was still breathing heavily. I looked up to Silverpelt and prayed that DawnShadow would get better soon. Eventually, we reached the sanctuary of the camp. Carefully, I guided DawnShadow through the darkness to the nursery. As I reached over to wake Hollykit and Spiderkit, I felt a small animal brush against my fur. I turned to see Mistykit smiling at me.

"HopePaw your back! " She mewed quietly. " We all missed you..." I curled my tail around her small frame and we walked to our nest. Featherkit and Duskkit were already sleeping and I tried not to disturb them as I climbed into my nest. Their steady breathing was like a lullaby and it sent me off drifting to sleep.

A sharp wind blew across my muzzle as I chased down a rabbit. The rabbit was sprinting through the forest and was about to disappear into its burrow. I pounced just in time and clamped my jaws shut on the limp rabbit. It squealed and went silent.

I had already been hunting since dawn and I had gathered a healthy amount of prey. Hopefully, the other cats had caught the same amount. The sun had just past sun high and was starting to get very tired. Blood pumped in my ears as I hauled my catch to the herb garden: we had all decided to meet here before heading back to camp as we would look stronger.

As I entered the herb clearing, I was surprised to see almost all the she-cat's waiting for me. Luckily, everyone of them had a small pile of prey beneath their paws. However, DawnShadow wasn't there: she was far too sick to leave the nursery and was looking after the kits.

" Well we're all here, so let's get going," I said to the worn out cats. The cats nodded and we began padding back to camp. Awkwardly, fur and feathers tickled my throat as I carried my prey through the forest. StoneFeather trudged over to me.

"Do you think this will work?" She asked. How was I supposed to know? Most likely, the toms wouldn't even care ,but at least we could hope something good would come from this stunt.

"Hopefully," I mewed to my mother. She simply nodded her head. I wished I was alone; with MistFall - I could always talk to him. Everyone was always putting the faith in me and it was starting to turn me insane.

"I named you Hopepaw for a reason, " StoneFeather said as if she knew what I was thinking. " When you were born, i had a vision of you standing on the highrock. A single word rang in my head: hope. From then on, I knew you were our only hope." Her words trailed off in thought. A prophecy? I was part of a prophecy from StarClan? All these thoughts an through my head as we reached the camp.

The camp was busy with cats. Toms were talking and practicing battle moves. TalonStar sat with Rockfur ; I managed to catch a slice of their conversation.

"... she must be dealt with, she is the prophecy..." TalonStar stopped speaking when he saw us pad through the camp entrance. I felt their eyes burn at our pelts and I felt my stomach tighten anxiously. Trying to look confident, I walked ahead of the group. I stopped and signalled with my tail for the group to halt.

I stared harshly at TalonStar as I dropped my fresh-kill on the pile.

" I hope you enjoy your prey," I mewed sarcastically. I strutted away with as much attitude ( swag) as I could manage. I heard the other cats place their prey down and heard their fur rustle the leaves of the fern tunnel. Pebblefur looked at me with accomplishment glowing from her blue eyes.

" Did you see the looks on their faces?! " She mewed amusingly. I almost snorted remembering the shocked look on Waspwing when we walked in.

" Yes... I say this was success," I mewed.

Later that day...

"Shadepaw from this moment on you will be known as ShadePelt, warrior of clawclan." TalonStar turned his amber eyes to me. " And you...HopePaw... Will be know as HopeHeart." He snarled menacingly.

The toms suddenly erupted in speech.

"ShadePelt!" They roared. I saw MistFall and Vinetail fake a smile as they cheered for my brother. SilverTail looked proudly at his son and I saw him stride over him.

" Pebblefur? " My father asked. ShadePelt looked slightly awkward as he replied to SilverTail.

"Uh...Yeah, she's good," ShadePelt mewed quietly. He scuffled his paws a tried to avoid his gave.

"Silence!" TalonStar roared from the highrock. " Spiderkit, from this moment on, you will be know as SpiderPaw . Your mentor will be FrostHeart."

FrostHeart padded away from his to sons, IceFoot and GreyTail,who were new warriors,to greet SpiderPaw.

" Hollykit, you will now be known as HollyPaw." TalonStar rushed as if HollyPaw meant nothing. But, guess to them she didn't. We still meant nothing to them despite the stunt. I swished my tail angrily and hit a fat bird of the fresh-kill pile. It landed with a thump. I knew they couldn't eat it now and I didn't care. All that mattered now was that my kits and my friends were safe from the cruel sexism of ClawClan.


	8. Chapter 7 Pain

I lay in the nursery with MouseNose as we watched our kits play.

"Raw!"Squealed MistyKit as she pounced on the moss ball. DuskKit leaped over too her and grasped the moss in his paws.

"Mine now!" He giggled. FeatherKit watched them from the side; waiting for the moss ball to be thrown towards her. OakKit and BarkKit were play fighting near the entrance of the den where a slight breeze blew through. However, it didn't make much difference to the stifling heat of the nursery.

"I'm going out. Its far too hot for my thick fur." I waved my kits goodbye and padded out into the forest.

The forest was alive with scents. The burning sun made dappled patterns on the forest floor as it filtered through the leaves and a weird sense of calmness in the air. I padded through the fire like heat and was about to lie in the cool shade of a tree, when I suddenly became aware that a cat was following me.

Pretending not to notice, I sniffed the air for scents. However, it was no she-cat that I scented: it was WaspWing.

"HopeHeart? Don't pretend you don't know i'm not here." Said the brown tabby. I slowly turned my silver head to face him. He stood barely a fox length from me, his tail twitching irritably.

" WaspWing, how nice to see you. What do you want?" I mewed trying to act pleased. I knew straight away that he didn't buy my act.

"You see my dear, we only had one tom and you know very well that's not enough.." He sneered calmly. He was as cruel as his father and as perverted as his grand-father. I hated him.

"You know I can't change that." I said with defiance. I felt like spitting in his smug face as he spoke to me. However, his eyes were burning as hot as the sun and he seemed to have something evil on his mind.

"Oh HopeHeart...I talked to TalonStar and he said we could have one more litter."He said sinisterly WaspWing lunged towards me. Fear pulsed through my pelt as he leaped forwards.

"They're not your kits !" I shouted as I clamped my eyes shut in terror. I heard him gasp and recoil away from me. Angrily, he growled at me and slashed a paw at my flanks.

" I will get my revenge on you my dear." And with that he disappeared into the depths of the forest. My flanks were bleeding a little bit from the wounds he gave me and my head was spinning. What did he mean by revenge?

Suddenly, realization hit me. My kits: he was going to kill my kits.

I ran as fast as I could back to camp. When I reached it, I headed straight for the nursery. Luckily, my kits were safe. I smiled and wrapped my tail around them, surprising them as they played.

"I love you so much. Never forget that. " I whispered. I was never going to let their "father" hurt them ever. I felt their flanks move up and down soothingly as I wrapped my tail around them.

" HopeHeart? Are you ok? You're bleeding." I heard MouseNose mew from the other side of the nursery. Gently, I let go of my kits and faced my friend.

"WaspWing knows their not his..." I mumbled to the brown queen. The kits turned their small faces towards me. They knew that WaspWing wasn't their father, but they were still surprised that he knew that shocking fact.

"Mama? He knows?" Asked Mistykit her tail twitching anxiously. DuskKit and FeatherKit stood behind their confident litter mate.

"Yes he knows." I mewed calmly to my kits. " I need you too stay in the nursery with us. Is that ok?"

The three kits nodded their small heads and glanced nervously at one another. OakKit jumped up and ran over to me.

"I'll protect them!" He said, his voice filled with enthusiasm. MouseNose padded over and placed her tail on her kits head.

"Very well, but I'll help you too." She meowed with a hint of amusement. I was pleased that they were going to help me protect my precious kits from their brute of a "father".

Suddenly, MistFall burst through the entrance to the nursery, his eyes filled with fear. He stopped in front of me as tears formed in his eyes.

"It's StoneFeather, WaspWing killed her." He panted. My eyes pooled with tears as grief welled up inside of me. My mother was dead and it was all my fault. I should never had let him know the secret. It was all my fault...


End file.
